(GHM/IFEX) – Greek Helsinki Monitor was informed that a Macedonian Television (MTV) crew was refused entry visas by the Greek Liaison Office in Skopje. The crew intended to cover the trial of the Macedonian minority party Rainbow; on 15 September, Rainbow was on trial in Greece for the use of the Macedonian mother tongue. The […]
(GHM/IFEX) – Greek Helsinki Monitor was informed that a Macedonian
Television (MTV) crew was refused entry visas by the Greek Liaison Office in
Skopje. The crew intended to cover the trial of the Macedonian minority
party Rainbow; on 15 September, Rainbow was on trial in Greece for the use
of the Macedonian mother tongue. The Greek authorities had been formally
informed of the request on 9 September through a MTV letter.
Two weeks prior, the same crew was given visas in a matter of hours to cover
Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Buzlevski’s visit to Greece. According to
GHM, one can conclude that, this time, Greek authorities were simply trying
to limit coverage of the embarrassing trial, which ended with the acquittal
of the Rainbow leaders and the implicit recognition of the right to
henceforth freely use the Macedonian language, both orally and in writing.
Recommended Action
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Mr. George Papandreou
Alternate Foreign Minister
Athens, Greece
Fax: +30 1 3394195
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